I really don't know how you sit down and try and write a follow up to Rust In Peace. Where do you even begin? Anyway, the lads did sit down, and this is what they came up with – the brilliant Countdown To Extinction.
Without straying too far from the familiar and successful formula, Megadeth have diversified enough to make this not only a great album, but an intersting one to boot. Dave's speaking role to himself throughout Sweating Bullets (“Hello me! Meet the real me!”), and the stinging lyrics on life's troubles in songs like Foreclosure Of A Dream, This Was My Life, Countdown To Extinction and Symphony Of Destruction is a window on the world as the band sees it. Dave has always been great at fighting the world's wrongs through his lyrics, but he is especially pissed off this time around.
Retaining the same quartet as played on Rust In Peace – for the first time in the band's history – enhanced this release no end. Ellefson bass is always great, but retaining Nick Menza's drumming and Marty Freidman's superb guitaring really tops this off.
Memories : Megadeth were supposed to tour Australia on this album, but cancelled about two weeks before the event. They didn't return for almost ten years, and that hurt! I also had this on a cassette with Danzig's How The Gods Kill on the other side, and it got a hammering when they were first released when I was working in our nursery in Kiama's Terrace houses.
Rating : Top shelf heavy metal. 5/5.
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